Expanding Our Approach

The Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community (IDVAAC) is an organization focused on the unique circumstances of African Americans as they face issues related to domestic violence, including intimate partner violence, child abuse, elder maltreatment, and community violence. IDVAAC’s mission is to enhance society’s understanding of and ability to end violence in the African-American community.

IDVAAC was first formed in 1993, when a group of scholars and practitioners informally met to discuss the plight of the African- American community in the area of domestic violence. The group ultimately agreed that the “one-size-fits-all” approach to domestic violence services being provided in mainstream communities would not suffice for African Americans, who disproportionately experience stressors that can create conditions that lead to violence in the home.